1,200 troops to form «Summer Shield»

Photo: twiiter.com/@Latvijas armija.

Over 1,200 troops are expected to take part in the Summer Shield XVI multinational military training exercise, which from April 17 to 30 will be held in Adazi Training Area and adjacent territories, lsm.lv reported.

The annual drills will assemble more than 1,200 soldiers from Latvia, the U.S., Bulgaria, Estonia, Canada, Lithuania, the UK, Luxembourg, Romania, Slovakia, Germany and Sweden, providing the troops with an opportunity to hone their skills in a multinational environment.

During this year’s exercise the soldiers will be practicing a broad range of combat support elements: artillery, air-defense, reconnaissance, defense against weapons of mass destruction, support of combat and construction engineers and anti-tank capabilities.

Also involved in the exercise will be joint fire observers and close air support controllers, as well as a medical company and transportation units.

The annual Summer Shield exercise has taken place in Latvia since 2004. Originally, its purpose was to prepare solders for participation in the coalition forces’ operation in Iraq.